By 2020—Advances Accelerate in Social Media Technology: The “half-life” of skills is shrinking and change is accelerating. People who don’t keep up with new tools, at a minimum those that are required in their particular lines-of-work, will not find full-time, part-time or any-old-time work.

By 2020—Fastest Emerging Careers:Healthcare and STEM: More technology, genetic testing, robotic surgery and other changes are coming that increase focus on prevention as well as repair. Nursing, dentistry, physician assisting, personalized healthcare, physical and occupational therapeutic options, veterinary medicine, audiology, care-giving, nutrition and more are hot, hot, hot, and will continue to offer boundless opportunities for those looking far enough ahead.

Computer technologists, engineers, networking specialists, environmental scientists, and big data experts are in high demand. But, don’t be misled… the need is sophisticated and challenging. Everyday programmers and web developers can work from anywhere and, as a result, work is moving to other countries where their skills are equal to ours but costs are less.

Think it’s too late for you to recreate your work life? Think again.

Remember,

“Mid-career” is now 50 – not 40!

1 in 3 workers are 50 today.

Working to 70 (and beyond) is the new reality for private sector, pension-less workers.

Re-frame,

You have enough time between now and 2020 to discover and pursue life-lengthening, fun, purposeful and profitable new options.

2020 question: Do you have the interest in continuing or adjusting your educational direction toward healthcare or STEM?

By 2020—Increased Workforce Flexibility and Mobility: The ability to work-with-anyone-from-anywhere is now a given as skills shortages and ever-faster changes continue to affect businesses. Read about “distributed work-forces” and you will soon see an increasing number of businesses that engage the bulk of their contributors using this model.

As for 2020 workers, the stigma of changing “jobs” has been erased. In fact, it is not difficult to understand that infrequent “job” changes might be more of a threat to your career resilience than occasional, strategic changes.

As CEO of your business, your challenge is to anticipate shifts and respond to change.

2020 question: Are you running your career like a business?

By 2020 – WORK, in all its reiterations, will outpace the old world of JOBS. If you are someone who is used to externalizing your sense of security to your employer, it’s time to bring your sense of security back to home (you) where, in our opinion, it should have always lived!

By 2020 – 40% of new work will be on-demand work. If you’re not needed full-time, you won’t be hired full-time. Add a few years to our 2020 trends and you’ll soon see that flexible work will outpace regular, full-time jobs – even in the public sector. Beyond taking a flexible path, managing a work portfolio, working virtually, contributing globally and working later and longer than ever before, offer exciting new opportunities way beyond any perceived threats of change.

2020 question: Can you think of, and prepare for, several ways to work beyond the old world of one or two similar jobs?

By 2020, Millennials will comprise half the workforce and Gen Z will be out in force. Overall, new grads and skilled will be more entrepreneurial and realistic about the changed world of work. The opportunity for all generations to meet customer needs will result in a resurgence of entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, solopreneurship and the re-emergence of small businesses, especially in areas of technology and social services. The “unification of generations” through cross-mentoring programs in the workplace will be a major initiative for employers. We are in this together – The speed of change is up to us.

2020 question: Will you take the initiative and propel your organization, your business, your community group and others to embrace cross-mentoring initiatives for the benefit of all?